The next day came, or what I could assume was the next day, and I finally squinted rather than open my eyes. I wasn't ready to be blinded the second I got up. I didn't move from the position I fell in, which was a little uncomfortable from the stiffness I was feeling right now. The rest itself was more refreshing than any potion I could take but I wasn't thinking about the next day when I had fell.
I groaned and moved my arms above my head, keeping them rested on the bed still. When they had sufficient feeling back, I pushed myself sideways so I was on my back. This bed wasn't as comfortable as I had originally thought but it would work for a couple days until I could afford something better. I should have a fair share saved up by then, especially since I would not have to carry them and they were put into the Void.
I waited a few moments before pushing myself into a sitting position on the bed. I stretched one last time and looked around myself at my surroundings in a little more detail. The room I was renting out for a few days was rather nice for being in a place as small as Riverwood. From what I had seen last night while barely awake, there seemed to be a little more than a dozen residents. This was probably a tourist sight more than anything. If Gerdur sent me to somewhere else, it must have been bigger and probably was a keep, given how I was also supposed to go directly to the 'Jarl'.
My eyes averted to the book that I had picked up from Gerdur's home last night: A red book with odd markings on the cover. Probably someone else who had more knowledge of Skyrim than I would be able to fill me in with the cover or the contents, if they were also cryptic. It would be even easier if I could find the Breton himself who directed the book be given directly to me, as he would know more than anyone in Skyrim.
Curiosity would get the better of me quickly but I wasn't quite ready to get settled in and waste another day, especially since I felt a tad gross. Being in a cave for as long as I was and not bothering to clean myself when I got out, not to mention the time before hand when I was captured and carted away, left me more disgusted with myself more than I had felt for a long time. I got onto my feet and left my room, not saying a word but glancing at Orgnar, who was awake despite not doing a thing just like last night. The bard was also back again, singing to no one in particular. It was looking a little odd for him to be practicing singing whenever no one but me had come in for a night. He glanced at me as well but I quickened my pace and left the Inn.
I was met with the sun high in the sky, so it was pretty late in the day. I would have to start my day tomorrow early for wherever I was going. Maybe I would end up finding Gerdur later in the day after getting myself cleaned up. I had to stop by the house, though, and borrow some of her clothes. I wouldn't be surprised if her clothes were too big for my small body, though.
When I had entered Gerdur's residence, it was absent of any people. This family of Ralof's kept pressuring me to act natural in this situation of thievery but I knew it would be bad manners with what they had done for me so far. I went into the space where the second bed was and opened the wardrobe. It was strangely empty with only a few different outfits, all that looked to be like common clothes of different colors but most had tan sleeves and a brown chest piece. They surprisingly didn't look as big as I thought they were, my vision of Gerdur from last night clouded because of fatigue and lack of sleep. I closed the wardrobe, curios on what other clothing Gerdur had laying around. I found a pair of boots and some gloves in another dresser and took a pair of each, setting them on the table by the door for when I leave. I wasn't sure what else would have clothing since the rest of the furniture seemed like they would house dishes or tools. I looked through the rest of the cupboards and end tables and found something that seemed like it would be more my thing than common clothing, at the moment. It was a black robe that covered my chest completely, which was rare from the kinds of clothing other women was wearing, as well as reaching all the way down to my feet. I hated showing off my own body so the robe would be the best fit at the moment. I found a couple more of the same robes but just made a note of where they were for later, in case I needed them. I grabbed my new outfit and left Gerdur's home, going back towards the Inn and lumber mill. I wasn't sure where I was going to get cleaned up at since it was either in a river by the safe town or in a river in a private but possibly dangerous wilderness. I figured I could stay close but not close enough to be seen. I went out using the path Ralof and I had entered from the day before, glancing to see Ralof, Gerdur, and Hod working at the lumber mill. I also couldn't help but notice a Bosmer working at the lumber mill as well but he seemed a tad distracted. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone until after I felt better. I left Riverwood and walked a couple of minutes up the road, enjoying the scenery, to where the water was falling down the rocks, making a tiny waterfall but it would work as a washing place for a few days.
After a long and refreshing but very cold bath, I took a quick look around to make sure no one was around and left the water to put on my new clothes. It felt really good to be clean and the cold water woke me up even more, keeping me very alert. I had originally thought the robes would be too big for my body but it was like the clothing changed to fit my body. I couldn't explain it, especially since my tail fit in a hole on the backside of the clothing no problem, which I could have sworn wasn't originally there. Either way, I didn't argue and finished putting on my new clothing. The armor I was wearing before disappeared when I had removed them and I didn't even bother to question it anymore. I would ultimately figure out what was happening but even if I didn't, it wouldn't matter much since I had an odd feeling that enchanted book I was given by the Breton had something to do with what was happening. The weapons I was using as well, which I had almost completely forgotten about, disappeared while I was sleeping. I remembered falling onto the bed with all my arrows and other weaponry but when I had gotten up, they were gone as well. I had assumed they went to the Void with everything else but it was odd that something I might have needed disappeared without me even wanting them to. Then again, the armor I was wearing before disappeared as well without me wanting them to.
I re-entered Riverwood refreshed and feeling much better than the day before. I didn't notice it the night before but just when one enters Riverwood, directly across from the lumber mill is a trader. I would have to visit them later and see what I could get and such. I wasn't going to stay in the safety of a town all the time, after all. Granted I didn't have anything to work towards at the moment in Skyrim but I could at least try to make the most of it. Maybe I could find my way back to Elsweyr as well and come back with riches or make a living in Skyrim with a spouse. There was still a lot of time to think about that, though. At the moment, I needed to figure out what in Oblivion I was doing here and what was going in my current situation. Other than escaping a dragon, getting captured, and getting a magic book, there wasn't much else going on. I escaped the dragon and got out of being executed, so that left the book. Now that I was rested up and alert, though, I wanted to get some answers from Gerdur and maybe Ralof on some things. I hoped they wouldn't mind taking some time off from the lumber mill to help me figure out what was going on and where I needed to go. The book could wait until the night and when I wouldn't be wasting perfectly good daytime. I decided to go to Hod first, since he was the one I had talked to the most at this point and he didn't seem like the type to pry, my type of conversationalist. When I approached him and before I could get a word out, he started with his own question.
"So you saw a dragon, did you? Tell me, what was it like? As big as a house?" He sounded excited when he asked it but it made sense, since I doubt dragons were around too much. I remembered something I read from books that the blades also killed dragons. I didn't quite believe it myself but there must have been some truth in it.
"I really don't want to talk about it." I wasn't quite ready to describe my near fatal experience one day after having it. Maybe after a day or two I would but not right now.
"Sure, sure. It's just, you know, not every day I meet someone who has laid eyes on a dragon." With that, Hod turned and continued working. I wasn't quite ready to stop talking, surprisingly. I wasn't much of a social butterfly but I did want to know some things about Skyrim if I was going to be here for a little while.
"What do you think about this war?" This was all I really bothered to remember from the walk down here with Ralof, along with the Ulfric guy but I doubted he was important compared to a war being waged.
"I've got enough to worry about, taking care of my family. I don't concern myself with such matters." He didn't make eye contact with me and kept his eyes on his work, which I took as kind of a disrespectful thing to do. He stopped to ask me something but whenever I asked something, he decided to not even look at me. I knew where he was coming from, though. If it had nothing to do personally to a person, they shouldn't bother to push themselves onto the subject. Gerdur should be able to give me more details of what was going on, though, since she seemed to be a lot more helpful and resourceful. Gerdur wasn't too far away from Hod, doing more of a finishing and paper work. I took a quick jump down the back onto the log pile and behind Gerdur. She turned and tilted her head. There was one thing I needed to know first, concerning the request she asked of me.
"How do I get to Whiterun from here?" I would have to figure out how to remember this, unless it was close enough that I wouldn't have to worry about remembering too much.
"Cross the river and then head north. You'll see Whiterun on its hill as you pass the falls." Ok, so it was close. That is good to know.
"What can you tell me about the Jarl?" I still didn't know exactly what a Jarl was but I had a good idea.
"Jarl Balgruuf? I don't mean to be disrespectful, as he's ruled Whiterun Hold well for years, but he seems in over his head now. He's been trying to stay out of the war, but it can't last. He's going to have to pick a side. I'm afraid he's going to make the wrong choice." So Jarl's must have ruled over the holds. I would have a problem keeping people's names, I knew it already.
"Why? Is he loyal to the Empire?"
"I wouldn't say that. But he and Ulfric have been at odds for years, and I'm afraid Balgruuf will end up siding with the Empire because of it. But it's hard to believe that Balgruuf will choose Elisif over Ulfric." Ulfric was the commander of the Stormcloaks but I didn't recognize the Elisif person.
"Who's Elisif?"
I suppose she's Jarl Elisif now. She married High King Torygg just before Ulfric killed him. The Empire supports her claim to be High Queen. I don't really have anything against her- not her fault that her husband Torygg was bought and paid for the Empire. But she is nothing but a puppet for the Empire now, with her husband dead. Ulfric will make sure she never takes the throne as High King." Here comes the High King thing again. I didn't really know much of anything about this place at all and I sure as hell showed it.
"So there's no High King now?" If Jarl's were rulers of the smaller holds then I would assume the High King must have been the equivalent of someone like the Septim bloodline, who ruled over all of Tamriel.
"No, not until the Moot meets to choose another. And it won't meet until one side or another wins the war. Don't worry, though. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He'll drive out the Empire and Skyrim will have peace at last." It was pretty obvious where Gerdur stood in the war. She was on the same side as Ralof, just as excited as well.
"So, did Ulfric kill the High King?" I remember an Imperial getting in Ulfric's face about killing the High King, something about an unfair fight or something. I only remember a few small details at the moment.
"Some say murdered, but it was a lawful challenge in the old way. Ulfric called him out as a traitor to Skyrim, and killed him in single combat. If Torygg couldn't defend his throne, he had no business being High King." I was believing Gerdur on this, since she wasn't threatening me or getting ready to push an axe through the throat.
"What do you think about the war?" She may have thought the same about her husband but she probably thought more of a way Ralof did. Anybody would be able to tell they were related at this point.
"The Empire may have been good for Skyrim once upon a time, but those days are long past. Banning the worship of Talos was the last straw. Thalmor everywhere, dragging people off for honoring our own gods. I'm glad Ralof is helping drive them out of here. If I was a bit younger, I might have joined the fight myself." As I had expected, she would follow Ralof. She didn't seem that old but probably having a family kept her here as well. Though she tried to pull it off as wanting to run off to war, I doubt she would without Hod talking her out of it.
"What can you tell me about Riverwood?" If I was going to be here for a couple of days, I was going to see if there was something I missed while glancing around.
"It's my mill. Some folks thinks it's my town, too but it ain't. The Jarl in Whiterun owns the land and the town. I just pay the taxes." The Jarl's land must have stretched over quite a large area.
"Is there somewhere I can buy fresh supplies?" I could assume there was a trader's store, since most places would have one even if it was small.
"And by "supplies" I suppose you mean weapons and armor. Alvor can help you out. He's our blacksmith."
"What about a general store?"
"You would be looking for the Riverwood Trader, then. They are beside the Inn, like everything. This isn't the biggest town, if you haven't noticed at this point."
"It was pretty easy to see." I turned and left Gerdur, letting her get back to whatever it was she was doing. I wanted to have a quick talk with Ralof before I ended my questions for the day but it would be easier to see where everything was since that would be on the way to Gerdur's home. Ralof would most likely be there, still resting up.
The Riverwood Trader was where Gerdur had said, as well as what I would assume was the blacksmith across from it. There was a man, most likely Alvor, working at the set-up beside his home, so there was no doubt. If I were to get anything for my first trip around Skyrim, it would have to be from him. Other than that, it was homes though there were only a few homes. This was more of a rest stop than an actual settlement for living.
"Ralof can wait. He shouldn't be out and about for a couple of days, at least. He must have gotten some wounds. I wonder why mine healed so quickly, other than this." I rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling the wound that I had acquired while escaping Helgen. It would be a battle-scar, I guess.
The Riverwood Trader was marked with a hanging sign that I surprisingly didn't notice at first. Other than the Inn, though, none others had signs. I got close to the door and had my hand against it when I heard a disturbance coming from inside. It was an argument between two people, if not more, from inside the place. Something about a thief but it was too muffled to hear anything else. I slowly opened the door as not to disturb them and they both looked my way then I took my first stop in the place. There was a woman and a man having the argument and I felt a tad embarrassed at being stared at by the two.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance. Come in, see what we have for sale. Lucan Valerius is my name, by the way." The woman walked away as Lucan welcomed me inside. He must be a good, or desperate, salesman if he was still selling after being robbed. I walked in and took a quick look around, seeing that there was still a lot on the shelves for sale. I wonder what this thief took that he felt okay with leaving potions and expensive weapons still in their places.
"What was that argument about? Get robbed recently?" Lucan nervously shuffled his hands and sighed.
"Yes, we were. The thief didn't take anything except my Golden Claw. He went to Bleak Falls Barrows but that is dangerous, so I wasn't planning on going to get it back." Well, this could be promising to me. I wasn't really that good of a fighter but I could sure steal stuff well and stealing from a thief sounded like a great challenge. It had to be worth the gold, though.
"I think I may be able to help you with that. What is in it for me if I come back with it?" Lucan looked over my shoulder and back to me.
"I will give you my profit from my latest shipment if you can bring it back to me." I smiled and nodded, wondering how much I would get but not wanting to push it. Maybe I could haggle when I prove I have it.
"She will need a guide if she is to find out how to get to Bleak Falls Barrow." I turned and Lucan looked over my shoulder again. The woman from before spoke up, now on her feet and heading for the door.
"I…You…Fine but ONLY take her to the bridge and no farther!" The woman rolled her eyes and gestured for me to follow. I wouldn't go right away but it would be nice to have an idea of where I was going when I actually left for it. This could be something to do before I left for Whiterun, or after most likely. It would be good to have a way to hold my things set up before-hand but something to do afterwards as well. I willingly followed the woman and I could hear Lucan getting a tad nervous by his sighing.
The woman and I left the trader, going towards where Gerdur told me to start out for Whiterun. Maybe I would have to find a way to get a map of some type before I went too far away from where I knew my surroundings.
"The thief only took one thing, the claw. I don't know why that was it. No matter how small this place is, we do get something good every now and then." The woman continued walking, glancing over her shoulder at me.
"What kinds of stuff do you have? I heard there was a blacksmith as well, so does that mean you have everything else?"
"Some things. We aren't exactly the most thriving of communities here but we get along with the ones that pass by, not to mention the jump for weapons, wood, and potions. It is a little better than normal. My name is Camilla Valerius, by the way." We were just walking past the Inn, getting to the north exit quickly.
"You don't say. How dangerous is this Bleak Falls Barrow?" Camilla and I left Riverwood, stopping at the bridge just outside Riverwood. Camilla turned to face me.
"You don't know about the Falls? They are probably taken over by bandits, more than likely. Other than that, I am not sure. No one goes up there to scout since it doesn't really involve us too much." Camilla pointed towards Bleak Falls Barrow.
"I assume there is a clear way up?" The path split left and right. Gerdur, if I remembered correctly, said to turn right here and it will be viewable by the time I reach the bottom of the path. It was a start, at least.
"Yeah, just take the left and you should reach it after a few turns. You should also see it, so going up the mountain another way will work but a path is already made here. You don't have any weapons, though, I just noticed. How will you be able to survive anything without weapons?"
"Yeah, I know. I head weapons before but…I will get them back before I go, of course." I looked up in the sky and it was getting dark again. I woke up later in the afternoon and it wouldn't be long till I had to retire again for tomorrow.
"If you say so. Just don't get yourself hurt or else I will feel guilty. Let's go back." Camilla walked past me when I was distracted, towards Riverwood. I wasn't quite ready to go back, a tad excited about having a way of getting money as well as possible other goodies.
A few minutes later and I were back at Riverwood, in Gerdur's house and talking to Ralof. He was the last person I had to talk to and try get some information out of before I planned anything. It wasn't easy to get pushed into having to make a potential living in a place one had just come to. The first thing that came to mind with Ralof was the incident with the dragon, as well as trying to get some light on the subject.
"Was that dragon on your side?" Unlikely because it still tried to kill us but anything was possible.
"What? Oh, hardly! I don't even think Ulfric can pull a dragon out of his pocket. Lucky for us it attacked when it did, eh? I wasn't looking forward to getting a shave from the Imperial Headsman." Understatement of the year. A shave would have been bad for me, still. I had quite a lot of fur that could be shaved off.
"Why were you being executed?" I knew why I was there but not Ralof, or anyone else for that matter. The horse thief died before the dragon came. Guy might have lived if he had just dealt with what happened.
"Seriously, you don't know? That was Ulfric Stormcloak himself!" Still being left in the dark. I came to Ralof to figure out what was so special about this guy. Gerdur summed him up as some hold leader but that was it.
"I don't pay much attention to current events." Not that I was here for long enough to care about what happened before today.
"Oh, right. They said you were captured crossing the border. Still, I'm surprised you haven't heard of Ulfric. He is our leader- leader of the Stormcloaks." So he is a leader of a hold as well as some cult leader, or some organization. One answer just brings up more questions, though.
"What are the Stormcloaks?"
"Surely even down in Cyrodiil people have heard news of the war in Skyrim. The Nords are tired of spending our blood fighting the Empire's wars, and paying for the Empires decadence with our taxes. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He's leading the fight to drive the Empire out of Skyrim, once and for all." Ralof really had high hopes for this guy. I assume he was wasn't some magical being with the power of a dragon and still human, which made it seem odd that he would be so special as to wear the title of High King so leisurely.
"How did you end up as Imperial prisoners?"
"I was assigned to Ulfric's guard. We were on our way to Darkwater Crossing, in the south of Eastmarch. The Imperials were waiting for us. As pretty an ambush as I ever saw. We were outnumbered, five to one at least. Ulfric ordered us to stop fighting. Didn't want us to die for nothing, I guess. I thought they were taking us south to Cyrodiil. Parade us in front of the Emperor. But then we stopped in Helgen, and you know the rest." Maybe they would enjoy that, since the true and honest Septim line ended with Martin. There was no telling how Titus Mede II would react to this, though.
"You seem very loyal to Ulfric. I can't say I would be the same but I may decide to join you, if I stay that long." I turned to leave, while listening to Ralof as I walked.
"You have seen what the Empire can do, will do. If you want to join Ulfric, go to Windhelm. You will find Ulfric there. We could use someone like you, especially if you do decide to stay." I left the house without giving any response, going back to the Inn. The sun was just showing itself behind Bleak Falls Barrow, which looked rather beautiful at this time, a good way to distract my head.
Back at the Inn, I still had the book waiting on the end table. I had to look at it before the day was over so I could see about starting on my adventure tomorrow. I still had to decide what I had to do and wanted to do but I would choose that once I had a way to remember those to start with. The Inn was eerily silent, even the bard happened to be gone today. Other than Orgnar waiting at the table and myself, it was empty like the day before. I made sure to get comfortable on the bed, leaning against the wall and pulling the book onto my lap. The cover still had undecipherable markings but that wouldn't tell me anything. It looked like a bear got to the book but just kept itself to the covers.
Inside the book seemed plainer than the cover, though. At first glance, every page was blank as well as unmarked without defects or writing.
"What in oblivion…is this supposed to be?" I continued flipping page by page, trying to notice any marks but it was perfectly clear. I eventually ended on the first page again but it was different this time over. The first page had one word near the top. It said 'Items'. My finger brushed the word and it had no texture except a feeling like the paper was still clean. When my finger left the paper, the pages flipped themselves to the next page. On it was a bunch of different names of things that sounded awfully familiar. Two that I recognized almost immediately were a robe and a hood. If I remembered a few things I got from the trip from my execution to this bed last night, it was a set of items that probably sold for quite a fair share of gold.
"Well, isn't this interesting. What else is here…" The list continued and was organized depending on what the items were. Books, clothing, potions, and other things. A few I recognized from last night because they sounded like they would be worth something or would be of some use to me personally. A few others were healing potions as well as the Imperial Leather Armor that I had equipped until not very long ago.
"I wonder if there is a way to bring these back." My finger once again brushed over the items names and like the word from before, there was no indentation or bumps. It was as flat as a normal piece of paper. The way the items names were written down, it looked like someone had gotten their hands on the book and recorded the items themselves but that couldn't have happened. The book hadn't moved from its original position, not even a slight movement and no one could put it back exactly where it was. I moved my wandering finger to something simple. The longbow I had used before was on the list of items and I put my finger on it, keeping it there with no clue on what to do next, if anything was supposed to happen. Maybe someone did get their curious hands on my only possession and messed with it.
"Okay, so? I would like to have the longbow, magic book." I waited a few more moments but when nothing had happened, I took my finger away and sighed.
'This sucks. So everything I had is gone. Not even an everyday weapon will do anything." I leaned the book down towards my lap and leaned back. I closed my eyes and in a few seconds, felt something fall onto my lap. My eyes snapped open and I leaned forward, seeing what was there. A longbow had found its way from the room, which didn't have one to start with, into my possession. I cautiously reached out for it and lightly grabbed it, making sure it was real. Whenever I had enough proof it wasn't just a trick or an illusion, I closed the book and set it on the end table again. The longbow stayed where it was and I held it tightly, getting onto my feet. I pulled back the string and aimed as if an arrow was present. The string pulled back like it should and the bow felt like it was completely solid, which was extremely odd since I didn't have one anywhere near me a second ago. The door to the room was also securely locked from the inside so no one could sneak their way in. The only other access was a gap near the roof that led outside but there was no reason one would go to such extreme measures to make a simple joke.
'Okay, sure. Well, that doesn't prove a thing but maybe…" I looked back at the book that was where I had left it and walked over to it, staying on my feet and opening it again. It automatically flipped open to the first page where the word 'Items' was still by itself. I was about to flip the page using my currently filled hand when the bow disappeared again. My hand balled itself but I already knew what had happened. If my assumption was correct, whatever happened to my gold and many other items happened again to the bow. Wherever it came from, it went back to that place. I flipped the page over one and looked at the list. I had one question answered whenever the longbow was, once again, in its place on the list. I kept my eyes on the name in the list and, without saying a word, held my hand out facing the opposite way of my body and the word disappeared from the list. My head instantly turned whenever I felt a pressure in my hand and reflexively gripped whatever it was. My body turned to meet my heads direction and I was met with a longbow in my hand. Just like before but this time, it was faster. This was odd, even compared to someone being able to summon fire and lightning from their palms. I checked one last time and the longbow was absent from the list, just like it was when I last looked.
"O…kay?" I didn't have to test this bow to see if it was real since I could feel just from the texture of the wood that it was not a fake. I glanced back at the list one last time before the bow disappeared from view and took its place back on the list. I should have been alarmed about whatever the Breton had given me was a magical book that could conjure solid objects from a void but it didn't faze me. I had dealt with my fair share of awkward situations and such but this still topped anything I had seen so far. I had even made my way through a portal when I was younger back in Cyrodiil that led me to a place that was both demented and manic. It truly was a crazy place split between both extremes but this topped even that, but only by a little.
I continued to look through the book, experimenting with making different things appear including my gold and different articles of clothing until I had went back to the first page to see a new entry. It was labeled 'Quests'. I could easily assume what that was, not being more than a fancy way to say a to-do-list. I had assumed correctly whenever I flipped a page after the end of my items list and found only a few entries. One was a reminder for me to tell the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragon as well as helping to get the golden claw back. I didn't find that as exciting but it was something. It solved my problem of having to remember everything I had to do. After I had checked what I needed to one last time and backtracked to the first page, nothing else had appeared. There was still only 'Items' and 'Quests'. I sighed and closed the book, peeking one last time but nothing new had come. I put the book back on the end table, quite a lot more educated about the way it worked but still thinking I was missing something. Still, this was enough for tonight. I still had to process everything that happened and I would have to whenever I started off for Whiterun. The claw could wait a little and the dragon was much more of a dire situation. I got comfortable in the bed, falling asleep quickly to let another day pass.